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I have just finished up a piano suite and I was thinking I would see what publishers thought of it. I was wondering what you all would recommend as next steps in this process?

Initially I was thinking to obtain copyright first. However some of what I've read on publishers websites indicates that you don't need to copyright it - if publishers accept your work then they take care of copyrights. Does anyone have any experience in this regard?

As for sending out to publishers, does anyone have any experience with any of them, or recommendations for ones to try?

Lastly, what are your thoughts on joining ASCAP? To be honest I don't really know exactly what they do. There's a lot of legalese on their website, but can anyone explain (plainly, please) the benefits of belonging to that organization. Would belonging to ASCAP change how I would go about sending work to publishers?

Thanks for any and all advice.

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What you are is an accident of birth. What I am, I am through my own efforts. There have been a thousand princes and there will be a thousand more. There is one Beethoven.

ASCAP is a performing rights organization that keeps record of the airplay (TV, radio, etc.)that your music generates. If you want to be paid royalties for your work, you have to belong to ASCAP, BMI, or SESEC.

If a publisher releases your work, he/she will register that work with one of the three organizations (and tip them off to any placements they’ve made). You usually have a choice as to which one you want to join (although some publishers have their preference).

Also, you can change your mind at any time and switch from one to another – but you can only belong to one at a time.

To become an ASCAP writer member, you must have written or co-written a musical composition or a song that has been:

commercially recorded (CD, record, tape, etc.); or, performed publicly in any venue licensable by ASCAP (club, live concert, symphonic concert or recital venue, college or university, etc.); or, performed in any audio visual or electronic medium (film, television, radio, Internet, cable, pay-per-view, etc.); or, published and available for sale or rental.

I didn't join ASCAP until my publisher told me it was time (then he wanted me to join as quickly as possible). I think ASCAP has/had an associate membership (not sure if it's still available). I didn't see any benefit in joining until my music was being placed.

Originally posted by 8ude: Ok. I saw that blurb on their website as well, and I would be eligible having had some works performed at college, but I wasn't sure if it was worth it until some of my work was published.

What about copyright? Should I pursue that prior to sending work to publishers? [/b]

If it gives you peace of mind.

Sometimes I copyright, sometimes I don't. You don't need the Library of Congress copyright to register your work with ASCAP (or to get paid by them).

When I do copyright, I do it as a collection of works to save money. For example, if I have 12 songs I want to copyright, I’ll list the songs under one title (with a "contained in").